


Maskirovska

by E_Rocc



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4824458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_Rocc/pseuds/E_Rocc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ivan's abilities become increasingly apparent to those with a Need to Know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One:  An Officer

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [alessandriana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandriana/pseuds/alessandriana) in the [Bujold_Ficathon_2015](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Bujold_Ficathon_2015) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Ivan Vorpatril being competent (and other people appreciating this). (Some possibilities: Post-CVA fics! Ivan is the only representative of the Barrayaran military on Ylla; what happens when things go wrong there? Or: Ivan's performance reports over the years! Or: it turns out there's actually fighting among the General Staff over who gets Ivan as aide-de-camp next! Or: Something to do with the Arquas??)

**Chapter One:   The Prodigal Returns.**

 

“Welcome back, Lord and Lady Vorpatril”.

“Thank you, sire”.

“Lord Vorpatril.  I must convey Our Thanks for your work on Ylla.  It was indeed one of Our more serendipitous decisions to send you into…..”

“Exile.”

“Well, quite.  I do sometimes wonder if your aunt is correct, about God’s hand steering our works.”

“Mother believes it as well.  Simon is more skeptical.”

“It was his job to be for so long.   Old habits can stick. “

_We’ll re-address that later._

“In any case, Lord Vorpatril, you have provided Us with a new strategic ally.  The government of Ylla has advised Us that your role in the strategic defense of the planet against the mercenary attack was, in their words “decisive and indispensable”.  We have asked them to take the credit themselves, which of course they are more than happy to do.   We’ll be sending them new equipment, and advisors who are more familiar with same. “

“Sire, it was a lot like watching a baseball game played by seven year olds.   The mercenaries were a little better strategically, but undisciplined, and I suppose the Ylla defense forces have never faced any sort of challenge, being a backwater and all.  Promotion seemed to be based on family name, worse than it ever was here, and if their ranks denoted more than pay scale, it wasn’t apparent. Miles could have done a better job after one year at the Academy.  _Any_ graduate could have done what I did.”

“Perhaps.   But Lord Vorpatril, it was _you_ that did it.  “

_Okay….enough._

“Lord Vorpatril.   Your performance at the Academy was adequate and acceptable.  However, in your files, each and every one of your instructors that were themselves ranked Excellent or Outstanding stated that you answered every single challenge, yet were capable of much more.  Your psyche profiles said this as well, though allowed that you may not realize it yourself.   Since then, your fitness reports have always been at least “Above Average”.  Review of the lower ones has uniformly shown a boss that was below standard themselves or likely had some form of a bias against the Vor in general.   Duv Galeni says you were the most efficient aide he ever had.  The Yllan Consul was only slightly less effusive.

You could have been my _brother_ and you wouldn’t have been Admiral Desplains’s aide without being among the best.  By the way, I know he told you he had to replace you with two aides. 

And now, you have matched your cousin by providing Us an ally as loyal as Marilac, for the same reasons.

Ivan, this government is largely based on nepotism.  Everyone knows it, and that means I can put you in any position I like and no one will wonder why.

But We Request and Require that you quit playing dumb in your dealings with Us.  We know that you are nothing of the sort.  “

“Thank you!”

Gregor and Ivan turned at the outburst from Tej.

“Oops.   I apologize, Sire. But it’s so clear to me.  And indeed, to Lady Alys as well.”

“Gregor.   Tej, in private, you are on a first name basis with The Emperor.  You _are_.

Ivan, this is by no means a democracy.   But you’re still outvoted.”

 

**Chapter Two:   Nepotism Can Be Effective.**

Ivan considered the circumstances.  He really didn’t think he had done all that much on Ylla, just some obvious things.   Dammit, this was _exactly_ why he had edited his performance reviews from the Consulate. 

_Wait a second._

“As you wish, Sire.   But why is this such a big deal?  Why are we sending aid to the ass end of nowhere?”

“Ivan.   The fact that you spotted that only makes my point for me.

Indeed, the Betan Astronomical Survey has discovered a new route to Ylla.   It is only three jumps from Beta itself.  Please don’t pretend you don’t understand the implications of this.”

“No, Sire.   Clearly, it is not a backwater anymore.”

“Gregor, dammit.  You are setting a bad example for your wife.  The fact is we did not learn this from the Betans we learned this from the Yllans.  Who learned it from a prisoner.   It was the reason for the attack.  The Betan Astronomical Survey had a serious leak.  They learned this from us.  Which is why they “had” a leak.  They owed us, for this and for keeping the secret of the route.  Our payback was advanced knowledge that they expect to find one or more new wormholes at Ylla.   It has never been properly surveyed.

What you have done is protected a semi-democratic government the Betans can approve of, on a newly strategic planet that is bound to boom economically.  Said government is now extremely favorable toward the Imperium, and due to your close relationship, to Us.”

“Gregor, do we know if the mercenaries contacted Cetaganda for aid before their attack?”

_Shit!_

“I don’t know if the Yllans asked that question.   I would say it’s best we find out.”

 

Gregor noted that once again Ivan had come through.  Not even _Simon_ had thought of that.  I need him at his best.  Still, the relationship offered the opportunity for continuing camouflage.  

_For the sake of the Imperium, though.   Not of ease._

“Ivan, we need to consider your future career.   I don’t think the military is the best place for you, though certainly you should serve out your Twenty.  For one thing, competence, or lack thereof, quickly becomes apparent.  

I believe you are best suited for the Foreign Service.   For you to hold a high position in the diplomatic corps would make sense even if you could barely do more than sign your name and make small talk. 

We are stuck with nepotistic considerations finding their way to the very heart of Our government.   This is unlikely to go away in Crown Prince Xav’s lifetime, let alone Ours.   You provide Us with a way to take advantage of this.  We would be foolish not to do so.

You have just under three years left until you are a Twenty Year Man.  It seems to Us that military intelligence would be a sensible posting for that time.  You shouldn’t have any trouble carrying on your old ways there.  Old habits, after all.   We’ll brief General Karrson.  Anything unusual you see, you should route to him.

Ivan considered this.   Certainly it made sense on its face.   Transferring him to ImpSec wouldn’t work because of Illyan’s shadow, yet there was little more he could do in Ops without attracting the attention Gregor didn’t want.  Bunch of weasels in MI to be sure, but not as bad as that other organization.  Not that the Cetagandans weren’t worse.  Tricky bas…..

_Hey, wait a minute.   Could we have gotten this backwards?_

**Chapter Three:   Not What It Seemed.**

_Can’t get away from the little git it seems._

 

Major Lord Ivan Vorpatril sat next to his cousin, Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan, as the latter explained to the Yllan cabinet that the mercenaries had not indeed contacted the Cetagandans.  It was the other way around. 

Ivan’s double brainstorm had been followed up by his own military intelligence team, Imperial Security, and an increasingly less skeptical Betan Intelligence group.  The Cetagandans, to be sure, had intended that the mercenaries set up shop in the vicinity of Ylla as commerce raiders, allowing the former to offer the newly strategic planet’s government “protection”.  Those worthies, however, were initially unimpressed with the planetary defenses and got a bit overambitious.  

_Only a “bit”, really.   I’ve seen Imperial Scout troops with more discipline than the Yllans.  That’s changing, but it takes time._

_But at least what Miles is telling them seems to be sinking in.  They were at most a year away from being a Cetagandan puppet.   Or the Tenth Satrapy.  Perhaps the Ninth…the Cetas do love to rewrite history after all…ouch, that hurt!._

Miles knew that Ivan was supposed to stay in character, by direct Imperial order.  But dammit, “any order worth obeying was worth exceeding” was supposed to be _his_ approach.  

Oh well, it could be said Ivan was getting his stepfather’s revenge.  But enough woolgathering, it was time to conclude.  Hence the kick.

“Gentlemen, the Barrayaran Imperium offers you a mutual defense pact.  We will also assist in developing the commercial and military facilities which will be needed once the new trade routes are established.   These will operate as a joint venture, with the Imperium receiving 75% of the proceeds, declining by 5% every year until we are at 50-50.   We will send warships immediately, maintaining a sufficient force on site until the defenses on the existing wormhole have been upgraded.   We’ll keep a force on hand as expansion occurs, and afterwards as needed and agreed upon.

I offer this in the Voice of Emperor Gregor of the Barrayaran Imperium.   Long may he reign.”

“We accept, Lord Auditor.”.

“Very well.   Once we get word back to Komarr, several ships will be on the way.  Major Vorpatril has our full confidence, he shall remain as our liaison for the time being.”

 

Ironically, Ivan had a much greater formal role as liaison (and de facto commanding officer) for the new alliance than he had as simple attache when he had led the defense.  Three weeks later, the _Piotr Vorkosigan_ , _Admiral Kanzian_ , and the somewhat older _Emperor Ezar_ made their appearance and assumed defensive stations.  A week after that, ImpSec reported that a Cetagandan task force had arrived in Toranira, did very little, then returned towards Eta Ceta.  

This, of course, was the route to Ylla.

 

**Chapter Four:   The Decision.**

It was a small group that met on the eve of Oath Day, the annual holiday when Imperial Military Academy graduates received their commissions and reaffirmed their oaths to the Emperor.  Always celebrated on a Monday, it fell on different dates each year, which meant a different group of alumni would become Twenty Year Men on a nearby date.

In four days, this would include Colonel Lord Ivan Xav Vorpatril.  

Gregor had decided a few years earlier that Ivan’s abilities, and more precisely his affinity for concealing them, meant that his abilities were wasted in the military.  It was intended that he begin a career in the Foreign Service once his Twenty was completed, spanning that time with a stint in Intelligence. 

This had not anticipated two things.  One, the organizational skills Ivan had displayed while integrating the Barrayaran “military advisers” with the Yllan government forces and bringing the latter up to something resembling galactic standard.  Phase One had been expected to take a year.  It took six months, despite a small insurgency movement brewing, and being just as quickly stamped out.   Yes, it had turned out the Barrayaran Chief Liaison had a talent for counterinsurgency.

As well as for diplomacy.   There was serious talk among some Yllan factions about persuading him to take on Yllan citizenship and run for President.    Ivan finally had to stress his loyalty to Barrayar.  Forcefully.

Even after he left, there was a small faction that advocated petitioning to become the Imperium’s fourth planet.

The other thing was the time he eventually spent with military intelligence.  The idea was to hide his skills while broadening them in anticipation of a diplomatic career.  As it turned out, Ivan’s love for logic and straightforward organization made him acutely sensitive to ambiguity.  The slightly peevish “that’s just wrong” that so irked his colleagues early in his career became an alarm bell, a signal that something need a little more in depth and focused investigation. 

Sometimes more than a little.   Laconic queries from the foot of the table during staff meetings had directly led to the unmasking of two Cetagandan, one Nuevo Brasilian, and one Escobaran plot.   A more direct and subtle observation routed directly to General Karrson had resulted in the discovery of a ring of hyperconservative isolationists within MilInt itself.   For the last six months, Ivan had become the General’s de facto second in command, and the latter had formally requested that Gregor ask him to re-up.  

Gregor and Laisa had gathered Miles, Alys, Simon, Chief of the General Staff Desplains, and Foreign Minister Vorbohn to help him make His decision as to how Ivan could best serve the Imperium.


	2. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation between the in-laws.

“Grandmotherhood suits you well, my dear.”

Baronne Udine ghem Estif Arqua’s expression softened. Only the Baron ever saw that look.

“Padma’s walking.  He took his first steps while I was there!”

“Yes, I saw the holovids.”, the Baron said as his own expression approached Earth Teddy Bear.

Only Udine ever saw that look.   And perhaps Tej.   And now, eventually, Lord Padma Shiva Vorpatril.

_My first grandson is a nobleman, de facto royalty of a multiplanet empire.  Not bad for an old mercenary pirate._

“I wish you could have come along, Shiv.   Ivan’s retiring from the military, but from what Alys said, he’s likely to be busier than ever before.  It will be awhile before they can make it here.“

“Soon.  I might have had I known things were going to be running so smoothly.”

“You do look more relaxed.  What’s changed?”

Shiv looked halfway between proud and surprised.   “I was grousing to Byerly and Rish about some of the growing pains our new systems are going through.  By asked my permission to send some of my grievances to Ivan….

 

_Two months earlier….._

“Send him in”.

Byerly Vorrutyer entered the offices of Shiv Arqua, Baron Cordonah.  Over the time since the House had been re-established, the Barrayaran liaison had taken on the de facto role of security chief, aiding and effectively overseeing the work of an increasingly less skeptical and decreasingly (at a much slower rate) sullen Star.  For the most part, his visits with his …well, the relationship was not exactly well defined…began with a saturnine and smug expression that Rish simply called Byish.  Today, he looked rather stunned.   Shiv was actually alarmed.  Anything that blindsided Vorrutyer had to be serious.

“What happened?!”

By shook his head and his normal demeanor returned.  To a point.  “Oh, nothing urgent.  I heard back from your son in law, on those matters we discussed.”

“And”.

“I expected him to have some advice on how Desplains ran things, small tricks that might help matters run more smoothly.   That’s not what we got.”

“How so?”

Byerly handed over a secured chip which the Baron inserted into his reader and settled in to review.   Raised brows became an impressed nod, followed by a stunned look akin to By’s earlier expression.  Suddenly, Shiv barked, started, pushed back, and growled at his source.

“Listen, Vorrutyer, we both know that your role here is as much spy as anything else.  I accept that.  Your people have to look out for their best interests.  But _what exactly did you send your cousin_?!”

“Nothing like that!  I swear on my word as Vorrutyer that everything I sent him is summarized in this chip.”

The Baron took the second chip, opened it, and began to peruse the two documents.  Finally, he glared at By.

“How the hell did he figure all this out from just this?   His suggestions look like they will work.  And work very well in fact.”

“Noted.  It’s Ivan.   He loves organization.  And he connects things. “

“Obviously.   Though that’s not the impression he gives.”

“Oh, the first person Ivan fools with that detached observer routine is himself.”

\-----

“And yes, Ivan’s suggestions have dramatically improved the administration of the House. To the point where in at most a few months, I can take a trip with some assurance that things haven’t gone to hell here.”

Udine contemplated this.  

“This ties in with something Alys told me about.   Actually, it began as a stock tip.  The Vorpatril Trust owns about 25% of a company called Schazi Electronics.”

“I’ve heard of them.  Rather innovative company, but for the most part best known for being extremely well run.”

“As it turns out, when he had just left the Academy, Ivan got involved with Ardeen Schazi, the daughter of the founder.  Hans Schazi was an inveterate tinkerer but not much of a businessman.   Out of boredom as much as anything else, Ivan set up some basic organizational systems for them.   Hans apparently gifted Ivan with some stock as a result, which of course grew in value.  Especially since the business managers kept reinvesting profits.   His son Kevi runs the company’s engineering now, and Ardeen Vorsoisson runs the business end.  Very progressive, by Barrayaran standards.”

“Very effective, by anyone’s standards.”

“I met Madame Vorsoisson.  She and Tej are actually friends, it turns out Lady Vorkosigan introduced her to her husband, who is Ekaterin’s son’s cousin.  She impressed me.  And Ivan impressed her.  In her domain, rather than his own.”

“He has a way of doing that doesn’t he?”

“I must say I was disappointed when I met him.  Despite the bloodlines, and credentials.  He just seemed so unambitious.   Lazy.  Not my cup of tea.”

 Baron Arqua couldn’t help smile at his bride’s acknowledgement of what had drawn her to him.  Though in this case, it blinded her to something key.

 “Oh, he’s not ambitious, at all.  Just like someone we both know and love.

Back in my mercenary days, there was often a lot of down time.  I read a book once, written on Earth well before the Migration.  If I recall right, it roughly coincided with the first landing on Luna.  There was a story about a lazy young man who quite accidentally made his indolence a strength.  The moral was that great improvements are often made by lazy people looking for an easier way to get things done. 

Right about the same time, the Americans had a President who many considered a lightweight.  Supposedly, he once observed that it was amazing what one could accomplish if one doesn’t care who gets the credit.   If there was ever anyone this applies to, it’s Lord Vorpatril.”

The Barrone had to agree.  “Or Lady Vorpatril, actually.   Our Tej found someone much like herself, didn’t she?”

“It turned out to be quite the Austrian marriage.  “

“Not entirely.   Those were arranged.  This was happenstance, and it’s true love.”

“And you claim there’s no such thing as Providence, my lady.”

“I’m not so sure, sometimes.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy fifth birthday to my amazing daughter Ardyn, already beginning to read a year before she starts kindergarten and the namesake of the latest Madame Vorsoisson. And yes, there is another off-the-left-field-wall cultural reference in here, as tends to happen when I write. :)


	3. Interlude II:  Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gregor consults his expert advisers about the best role for Ivan.

Once everyone had had their initial say about what they thought Ivan’s best potential role would be, Gregor noted a missing piece in the puzzle they had put together.   His followup question was a bit loaded.

“It sounds to me like We should consider quitting hiding Lord Vorpatril’s abilities, and simply use them where they would do the most good.  In Ops, perhaps, commanding some of Our forces.”

After a few moments of silence, it was Admiral Desplains who spoke up.  “Sire.   I would not recommend that”.

Gregor noticed the medium grateful glance Alys gave him.   Saying what she could not, for fear of seeming selfish perhaps.   “Why not, Admiral?   Frankly, please.”

“We have been focusing on the things Ivan does very well, and certainly there are many.  What he does _not_ do well is react quickly to change.  Ivan is so very good at organizing in part because he values organization, and indeed routine, so much.  While’s he the best aide I ever had by a good margin, he also took considerably longer than most to adjust to any serious changes in the daily routine.  Doing a task for the first time was always a challenge for him.  He did better the second, the third was about par, and after that his performance was superior.  Even dealing with surprises became sort of routine, because he always could route them to me, or as he gained experience the proper departments.   But Ivan Does Not Like Surprises.”

Miles interjected, “Sound familiar, Sire?  Indeed, Dono said he met with you almost as soon as he returned from his little trip because Ivan insisted it would be a bad idea to blindside you.”

“Quite so”.

Desplains continued.  “In addition, Ivan does not truly multitask well at all.  He simulates it by focusing for small blocs of time, based upon priorities.  This made setting up systems for establishing same important to him.  So he’s good at it.    In addition, in close quarters his focus diminishes somewhat and his physical coordination drops off a great deal. “

Gregor recalled an incident and asked “That’s from the time on Earth, correct?”

“Not really, though he likes to blame it on that.  I understand he had these problems before that.”

“As a child, even, that could be an issue.” Alys observed.  Miles nodded agreement.

“He didn’t do all that well in the Academy in the space section.  If you look at his career you will note he has avoided ship duty.”

Gregor was surprised.  “But his Academy records were very good!  It’s one of the reasons We decided that he had to be more competent than he typically let on.”

The Admiral couldn’t help but smile slightly.  “Yes, Cadet Patril’s record showed few if any deficiencies.  Have you ever seen Cadet Barra’s, Sire?”.

Miles grinned as Gregor got The Look that reminded His Auditor of a fish bumping into the side of his tank.   “We purposely chose not to. “

Miles replied, “Remember, Ivan and I were classmates.  We went on orbital training together.  If the records suggest he was a real life Captain Vortalon, someone had a vivid imagination”.

Desplains shot over his own thank-you glance and replied.

 “Quite.  When he worked for me, his strengths greatly outweighed his drawbacks.  When he had to leave so suddenly, I brought his predecessor back briefly to help train a replacement.  He barely recognized the job, for all the gradual changes Ivan made.   Changes for the better, as we reviewed them, and all with my approval.   Implied, anyway.  Yet I didn’t really notice.

He thinks differently.  He’ll see things no one else does, but sometimes misses things everyone else catches.   Especially when he is blindsided, or suddenly rushed.

 He did an exceptional job, but I did need to make certain adjustments.  “

Miles heard a muttered “now _that_ sounds familiar” and intentionally did not look Simon’s way as Desplains continued.

“Ivan’s different.   Those differences lead to great strengths.   But to maximize his utility, they need to be recognized.”

Gregor remained a little skeptical.  Something in Ivan’s past wasn’t fitting this narrative.  But he couldn’t quite place it.  Then Vorbohn spoke.

“Now that I think about it, Vorreedi, our original counsul in Ylla, was less than effusive about Ivan in the very beginning.   That, of course, changed.”

_There it was._

“Gentlemen.   So you are telling Us that the man the Yllans would gladly have put in command of their entire defense force shouldn’t be trusted with a combat command?”

It was Vorbohn who replied.  “Sire, Lord Vorpatril was our military attache on Ylla.  It was his job to be familiar with the operations of the Yllan defense forces.  Vorreedi reported that he took this role very seriously.   It’s what he would spend his time on when he was….”

“Bored.” Miles interjected.  “There is nothing Ivan dislikes quite like being bored.  It’s a dangerous thing to let happen.  He probably ended up knowing more about Ylla’s forces than their own commanders did, if for no other reason than to plot out hypothetical scenarios. “

“Yes, and indeed that’s what he would do.”

Desplains rejoined the conversation.  “Keep in mind that he helped the Yllans establish some general strategies.  He wasn’t at the pointy end of the stick, reacting to the enemy’s tactics.  Our people have studied that battle and truth be told, any Academy graduate could have done what he did.”

Gregor smiled, and spent the next couple minutes explaining why.


	4. Plurality

In the end, Gregor’s first instincts were the direction he ended up going.  With a twist.

“So after much discussion, that’s how We feel you can best serve the Imperium, Lord Vorpatril.   I have no doubts that you will excel.”.

“Ummm…..Si….Gregor?

_Ah, yes, finally progress._

“Yes, Tej?”

“I have to admit one thing confuses me.   When exactly are you a plural and when are you a singular? 

Ivan?!  Why is that funny?”

“Sorry, love.   I only wish Miles was here.   When we were kids, he used to have a lot of fun with it.”

“Not only Miles”, Gregor replied rather primly.   He couldn’t exactly get irked.  Lady Vorpatril was a very quick study, but every so often she stumbled across some point of Barrayaran protocol or culture.  Enough so that he had spoken to Vicereine Vorkosigan about it.  Who suggested, above all, patience.  Pointing out that the new Lady Vorpatril was actually interested in learning “that stuff”.

Ivan sputtered “I didn’t bug you about it.   Well. not much.   Okay, not like Miles…”

Gregor laughed.  “Ivan, I didn’t actually mean you, though if your ears are warm I won’t complain.  I meant your lady mother.”

Ivan shuddered.  “I am not sure that should be called ‘fun’.   To say she was a stickler for correct protocol would be putting it mildly. “

“Ivan, she enjoyed it immensely. Of course it should be called ‘fun’”.

“Okay, point taken.  Sire.

Tej, watch him whenever he’s around Mamere, especially in a formal setting.  He’s all ‘We this, We that’ if there’s any doubt.  He goes back to being eleven sometimes.  “

“Really?”

Gregor muttered but did not dissent. 

“Yeah, Mamere felt Obligated.  You have to remember most of the mom role was Aunt Cordelia’s, and she wasn’t all that impressed by protocol.  I think she was already Vicereine when she finally quit snickering at some of the more “proper” court ceremonials.  Hell, you have probably heard stories about The Wedding.  Aunt Cordelia suggested they elope!”

“Wise counsel”, Ivan pretended not to hear.  

Gregor cleared his throat.  “Anyway, Tej, I become “We” when acting as Emperor, on behalf of the Imperium as a whole.  The line is somewhat blurry, at times.   I’m singular when I am acting as Count Vorbarra, as I was when we first met, and when I was serving in the military, even in command.  The academics debate what the proper tense is when I’m serving a military role even now.  I pretty much play it by ear.  “

“So you are ‘I’ when acting as Gregor, or Count Vorbarra, and “We” when speaking as the Emperor?”

“Correct.   More or less.”

“So when Miles speaks with your Voice, shouldn’t he say ‘We’?”

Gregor and Ivan looked at each other, brows raising in unison.  It was the former who replied, not without a smirk.

“Tej, the best answer I can give you to that question is, “Go ask Alys”.

\-----

Dowager Lady Alys Vorpatril considered her successor’s question for some time.

“I suppose one could make the case that that would be Correct, on a very formal basis.  I would presume that it has simply never come up.  The Auditors themselves would defer to the Emperor, who either never thought of it or simply did not choose to share the prerogative.  Of course they could use “Our”, meaning themself and the Emperor for whom they speak.

 If anyone, Helen Vorthys would know.  Though it’s difficult to catch her socially these days.  Thanks to you and your family, Tej.   Still.”

“We’re supposed to see Duv and Delia in a couple of weeks. We could toss that one at him.”

“Oh yes, Martya and Enrique are decanting their daughter.  Please, ask him.   But if you would, while Simon and I are present.”

Ivan noted a Cordelia-like grin that still seemed incongruous on his mother.  Briefly.

Very briefly. 

Then she was back on topic.  “So what did Gregor decide, finally?”

“I’ll be going back to school.   Sort of.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to DonSample for comments made on the last chapter that inspired this one.


	5. A Student

Things had been going rather well for Captain Alexi Vormoncrief the last few years, since in the wake of disaster he had taken his mother and uncle’s advice. 

 

Studying online during his purgatory at Camp Permafrost had given him the grounding and grades to transfer directly to UVS to study network and comconsole security on detached duty.   There he had met Louise Renault, the daughter of “the” Genevieve, owner of the best restaurant in ‘Tana.  Coming from a family of talented (and often distracted) chefs and musicians, she was tolerant of his foibles, while the family business had given her the diplomatic chops he lacked.   He provided the syllable, of course.   And the career on the ascendancy.  Together, they had restored the position Alexi and his now approving uncle thought lost.

 

Needless to say, they had made the effort to avoid the Vorkosigans and their immediate circle.   Which had worked until now.

 

Major (Retired) Lord Ivan Xav Vorpatril was Miles Vorkosigan’s cousin and Academy classmate.  Alexi recalled hearing that Ivan, a couple years ahead of him, had supposedly done quite well in his science and technology classes despite not really applying himself.   This made sense, of course.  Alexi’s earlier reservations about going off on the tech track applied even more strongly to a hereditary Lord.   The only thing “acceptable” for them was Ops. 

 

When Alexi found out he had been selected to bring Lord Vorpatril up to speed on current military communications technology and security, his first reaction (after some injudicious language) was to dig into his personnel files.  Amazingly, this was acceptable.   Among his other duties, Alexi was the commander of Team B, a group of technosleuths (Alexi hated the word “hacker”, his people did nothing so crudely) with full access to anything they could find on the systems, the better to improve security.  

 

Alexi learned quite a bit about his new student through this route, and could now better understand the assignment.   The thing that shocked him the most was that Vorpatril and Vorkosigan, as ensigns, had provided the inspiration for Team B.  Apparently, the inability of secure comconsoles to move or even pivot was a direct result of their coming up with a way to get the latter some background information on his commander.

 

Madman Metzov, of all people.  Things come full circle sometimes.

 

After all that, during their first sessions Ivan was hesitant, clumsy, and a diffident student at best.   Full of questions to be sure, but at the most basic and obvious level.   Alexi couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or confused, but kept in mind the explicit orders of his commander and equally firm “suggestion” of his uncle.

 

“Do Not Underestimate Lord Vorpatril”.

 

It took two or three weeks, but soon enough Alexi noted that Ivan was at about the level he would have expected from a good student at that point.   A month later, the questions were becoming more and more difficult to answer, so Alexi shifted over to security programming exercises.  Which became progressively tougher for him to break through. 

 

After a week of Ivan’s efforts being easily exploited or unexploitable, never in between, it was time for reinforcements. 

 

Kyl Soliah always made Alexi nervous.   He came across very shady, which was no surprise because he had been the brains behind a Komarran comconsole fraud ring.  Arrested by ImpSec when his efforts inadvertently targeted Toscane holdings, he had not found the choice between prison and a job to be a difficult one.  In Alexi’s view, he combined the worst aspects of crime and ImpSec.  Snarky, sarcastic, sneaky, superior minded, and completely undeferential to any established authority (except, for some reason, Gregor Vorbarra himself), he nevertheless had raised Team B’s performance to a new level since being seconded over.  

 

He simply turned over the role of Ivan’s adversary to him.   He said nothing to Ivan, and would not inform Kyl who he was dealing with.

 

For the next three months, both of them regarded Alexi with an increasing amount of respect.   Alexi could guess why.  It wasn’t exactly flattering.

 

Finally, Kyl walked into Alexi’s office one afternoon and closed the door.

 

“Whoever you’ve got there, he’s good.   He’s real good. “

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah.  There’s not much left I can teach him, except not to make obvious mistakes sometimes.  I say “him” because that much is clear from his style.   Unless you found yourself a Jacksonian you could lure away.   Not much gender difference, there.  

 

Did you find one?   Or maybe another Escobaran fugitive?   Could be from there.  Not Cetagandan, not elegant enough.  Or Betan, he’s too disciplined, except when he’s not at all and that’s rare.  Komarran maybe?   I haven’t dealt with too many Terrans, from there?

 

I think Barrayaran male though.  Plodding.  As little imagination as possible.   But thorough.  Extremely effective.”

 

Alexi had been looking forward to stunning the Komarran.  He told him.  And was disappointed.

 

“Hmmm, okay.   Doesn’t match his public profile to be sure.   Could be an Edward Devere type of thing, it’s not respectable enough to be doing so it’s done secretly.”

 

Alexi ignored the dig.  He wasn’t _quite_ enough of a Vor snob to buy into the Earl of Oxford theory.

 

“I guess blood does tell though.   He’s part Vorbarra, after all.”

 

That was too curious to ignore.  “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

 

“Come on, Alexi, don’t you know your own history?  The Counts began as accountants, the guys who were the best and most creative with numbers.  The best of them all, well of course they were the Vorbarras.   That’s how they became Emperors.  More recently, look at Hazeldark.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You at least know about that, right?”

 

“The MPE agent that invaded and sabotaged comconsole systems right before the Escobar invasion?  Yeah, of course.”

 

“Why do you think he was MPE?”

 

“Because of his choice of targets, of course.    Escobarans, Komarrans, Barrayarans of suspect loyalties.  Even some Betans.  But mostly because he wasn’t heard from after the invasion, when the MPE was purged.”

 

Kyl shook his head.   “I think I’ve been at Cockroach Central too long.  I assume everyone knows the common knowledge there, while if anything it’s the opposite.  Hazeldark didn’t work for MPE.  They worked for him.   It was Serg Vorbarra himself.  The man was a mathematical wizard.   He could play a comconsole like Morrisov plays a violin.   It runs in the family, and _that_ makes it easier to work for you people.   Your boss could probably operate in my league, or Lord Playboy’s, if you ever let him. “

 

Alexi decided he needed to quit trying to stun or shock Kyl.  It was like firing at a plasma mirror.

 

“Whatever you all have in mind for him, he’s ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alexi's role is based upon "The Laundry Officer", a story on fanfiction.net. Serg's talent above and beyond cruelty comes from "Aral Vorkosigan's Dog", posted here some time back.


	6. An Observer

Simon entered Alys’s apartment looking completely drained.  Accepting a quickly proffered drink, he sat down and stared into it.   By the unspoken rules of their relationship, whenever Simon got introspective Alys sat nearby and waited for him to speak first.

It took ten minutes.  “You were right about Ivan, you know.”

“I usually am.  About what, this time?”

“An idiot, he is not.”

“Of course not.  It was impossible.  One merely has to motivate him.  And sometimes, to let him focus.”.

“That last part, for sure.” Simon observed.  “He spent six months learning comconsole security.  It was amazing how quickly and well he picked things up.  He did well at the Academy, but not _that_ well.”

“It is all he was working on, correct?  That is what I recommended.”

“Yes.”

“When he was ten, he was having major problems with math in school.   Bad enough that Aral feared it would keep him out of the Academy.  One of his teachers recommended having him work on no other subjects for a semester.

At the end of that time, he was well above average.  And stayed there, since he was _interested_. Sometimes Ivan needs to focus.  He doesn’t change direction well.  I told Gregor that if he needs any further training, take it one subject at a time.“

“That’s what we’re doing. “

“We?”

“Yes.   Gregor wants him to be fully versed in the history of our relations with the various worlds of the Nexus.  We’ve started with the Hegen Alliance.  “

“That makes sense.”

“Well, the alliance was born out of the Cetagandan attack on Vervain.   Gregor and Miles, of course, were there.   I recall enough to be useful.  The four of us sat down over the last couple days at the Residence, and went over those events.”

Alys asked warily, “All of them?”

Simon recalled that Alys had been one of the very few people in the know about Gregor’s brief escape.  “That was not the intent.   We decided to gloss over Gregor’s role, have only Miles involved with the stalking horse mercenaries.  But Ivan saw through it, and began asking questions.   Persistent ones, getting more and more pointed and jumping all over inconsistencies.

He would have been one hell of an interrogator, you know.

Miles was getting a little bit flustered and Ivan could tell he wasn’t getting the whole story.  Finally Gregor just snapped and admitted his role.  It was difficult, especially to someone he is close to. 

He did claim that he had simply climbed out the window to see if he could, and Ivan, thank God, accepted that.  But it really upset Gregor to speak of it aloud, and Ivan as well that he had pushed like he did.”

Alys winced a little.    “He has never been one to be tactful. “

“Quite.   Were he not who he is, or were we less of an aristocracy, he’d be unsuited for a diplomatic role.  Fortunately, he is who he is, so we can take advantage of this.”

“But, he sometimes blurts.”

“Only facing Gregor.   Or sometimes, you.  And now, me.   Admiral Desplains said he started doing it with him, but he broke him of the habit.   Miles even says that these days, Ivan can do inscrutable nearly as well as Gregor.  It’s around nominal superiors where this is an issue.

Off planet, he won’t have any.”  

“True.”

“His initial role is going to be a sort of roving inspector/special envoy.  Technically at the ambassadorial level.   He’ll be auditing comm security, recommending and implementing changes in the administrative structures, and sitting in on those negotiations where a little bit of Vorbarra blood can go a long way.”

Simon could see Alys looked concerned, and guessed why. 

“No, it’s not as exhausting as it sounds.  His visits will typically be somewhat extended, planned well ahead, and involve a lot of ceremonials.  This will familiarize him with the various planets firsthand.   The plan is for Tej to accompany him on some, but not too many.  Padma won’t lack for attention.”

_As if he would, anyway…._


	7. On the way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The creche prepares for another Barrayaran challenge to The Way Things Are.

“They say that even on Old Earth, the servants were much more intense about the Proprieties than their principals were.”

Empress Rian Degtiar sipped her tea and contemplated the squabbling between several of the ba charged with implementing the proper ceremonials. It really was rather tiresome. Haut Pel Navarr, accompanying her, seemed somewhat amused. But she always had this certain sense of irony. 

It was wonderful tea. Speaking of irony. Vorsoisson Gold was recognized throughout the Nexus as the most calming and soothing variety available at any cost. How it had evolved through natural selection (from former Cetagandan plantations, of course) on the most unrestful, unsoothing, and obstreperous planet ever settled was one of those little circumstances that made Rian suspect that perhaps indeed some higher Entity existed, as many more primitive cultures believed, and dearly loved its jokes.  
  
If so, there could be little question that the Barrayarans were among its favorites.

As if the latent telepathy the Creche had long pursued had indeed took, Pel seemed to read her mind.

“I’m sure Miles would be amused at the chaos his people have caused again. Indeed, his family. And, come to think of it…..mine.”

Haut Moira Rond had been a distant cousin, half a generation older. Somewhat bristling and egotistical even by Haut standards, she had not quite been talented enough to get away with such traits. Pel recalled how her bestowal on a ghem general had been seen as an object lesson among the haut. Don’t try to stand out unless of course you really do, get along, go along, stick to the goals of Haut. “Don’t act ghem or you may become one”, some of the younger haut ladies would say. 

Moira had already had one small piece of revenge. Small to the haut, less so to the ghem. She had destroyed a genetic sample archive found in the bunker in the very face of a haut representative prepared to spend millions on them. Annoyance aside, it was quite obvious that the Barrayarans would have copied everything first. More to the point as far as the ghem were concerned, the question of what else the Barrayarans might have found in the Ladderbeck Close bunker was raised. Loudly. One hundred years might have been long enough to cool any terrestrial or Barrayaran secrets. Certainly any Betan. Not Cetagandan.

Plus, it was clear that even Moira Rond would not have done such a thing unless her new family had the full backing of the Barrayarans. That became clear later of course, when Cordonah resumed its place on the pirate planet.  
And now….

“I’m actually looking forward to this.” Rian observed languidly. 

“Well, it was your policies that led us here”.

“With your support, Haut Pel.”

“Always, Empress. And indeed, I look forward to this as well”.

Soon after the ascension of the Empress Rian, the Star Creche had begun informal engagement with the wives of prominent ambassadors. Occasional teas both individually and in small groups, and some limited exposure to the least sensitive Creche facilities were included. Primary on the list were Earth for historical reasons, Beta as the most biologically advanced of the outworlders, and Barrayar as probably the most powerful.

Count on the Barrayarans, of course, to complicate matters. It seemed to be their favorite activity.

It had been announced by the Barrayaran Emperor that the next Imperial Ambassador to the Celestial Garden would be Lord Ivan Xav Vorpatril

Lady Akuti Tejaswini Jyoti ghem Estif Arqua Vorpatril, daughter of Constellation Rond and Clan ghem Estif, traceable cousin of both Haut Pel and the Empress, was on her way to their worlds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I decided where to take this.


End file.
